Let The Blacktop Roll
by Morelenmir
Summary: Facing Thanksgiving break, college student Dean invites Gabe to his parents' home for the holiday. Gabe is a little wary; family get-togethers have never been an occasion for happiness in his experience.


I don't know guys. The idea was "Hey, this is Team Free Will's first Thanksgiving together! Let's write something for that!" and then it mutated into a college Dean/Gabe AU that gives me feels so adorable I'm confused.

Sassy and Debriel have become my happy place. Written during NaNo 2012 and the SPN hellatus.

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The rain pounded on the Impala's windshield in driving accompaniment to Tony Iommi. Dean sang along with Ozzy, loud and happily off key. One hand was firm on the steering wheel and the fingers of the other brushed the shoulder of the quiet man leaning on the passenger door. He glanced at his fellow college student with a grin. "Music too loud?" he called cheerfully. When Gabe didn't immediately shoot a snarky complaint at him, he removed his arm from where it had been draped along the top of the bench and turned down the volume.

"Hey," he placed his hand on Gabe's bouncing knee, pinning it to the off-white leather cushion, "it's gonna be fine."

Gabe's honey-gold eyes were large, glinting nervously. "I know," he said quickly and then looked back out the side window at the naked fields. "Kinda damp out there, huh?" The deflection was weak and they both knew it, yet Dean decided to let it go for the moment. They had nearly fifty miles left to go anyway.

"That's the Midwest for ya," he replied, gaze staying on the sodden highway while he slowed to take a sharp corner. "It's either dumping buckets of rain, buckets of snow, or the heat is trying to turn you into a flambé."

They both chuckled and Gabe leaned forward to turn up Ozzy's familiar wail. As he sat back his hand rested on Dean's, holding the warm and comforting touch in place.

The Impala roared through the storm until the clouds gave up and let the glossy car pass. Pale sunlight filled the creamy interior, the setting sun casting a glowing crown on Gabe's hair. With a delighted whoop, Dean rolled his window down and cranked up the Black Sabbath. He howled out the window, "Think I'll lose my mind if I don't find something to pacify!"

Gabe laughed, leaning over and lightly punching him in the shoulder. "You are the biggest dork." Dean's eyes twinkled with infectious enthusiasm and Gabe found himself singing as loudly as he could, "Can you help me occupy my brain?" Wiggling his eyebrows outrageously, Gabe sang in a low, breathy voice, "Oh yeah."

Dean's snort was fond and he shoved Gabe off of him. "I'm driving, man," he grumbled. "Innuendos are supposed to wait until we're at least at a stop sign." The smirk that appeared was wicked and lascivious; his moss-green eyes twinkled. "Or we can bail out on my folks, but they'll be ticked at Christmas."

Gabe's grin twisted and then faded. Dean's leer dissipated into concern as the song ended, cassette clicking when it reached the end of the tape.

"Look, I know this is your first time having Thanksgiving away from your family and you haven't met mine yet, but it's going to be okay, Gabe." Gabe's chin was tucked down onto his chest and Dean could see him gnawing on the inside of his bottom lip. Consciously slowing the Impala, he palmed Gabe's cheek and gently tugged his head up and over. Reluctant eyes met his and Dean smiled quietly. "Believe me."

"I, I do. It's just… I wish Cas could have come."

Dean huffed out a sigh while rolling the window half way up. "I invited him too but he wouldn't accept. Seems he's as stubborn as his big brother," he jibed lightly and was rewarded with a lopsided smirk.

"Stubborn, yeah, but fiercely traditional." Gabe made a face, pouting out the windshield at the rolling blacktop. "And any family gathering is pretty apocalyptic. All the fighting, the old contentions rehashed again and again until it's a bloody litany…"

"Which is why we're in Kansas. Just about as far from New England as you can get." Dean beamed.

Rolling his eyes with bemusement, Gabe snorted, "Relatively speaking, that's just about as close to New England without being in it you can get." Dean snickered and tossed him the bird. Gabe grabbed the raised finger and kissed its tip, releasing it just as quickly. The Impala traveled briefly over the yellow divider lines and Dean cursed under his breath.

"I'm considering withdrawing that rule about driving," he managed, staring at the road. He caught the flash of Gabe's teeth when the short man settled back on his side of the bench, arms crossed.

"Oh no, you can't." His tone dripped with cloying sweetness. "We're almost to your parents' house."

Dean breathed, "You are such an asshole," and Gabe tossed his head back and laughed.

The Winchester headquarters in Lawrence, Kansas didn't possess a long driveway and Dean had to park on the street. He muttered and grumped as he got out of the car, door creaking loudly as it always did—Gabe suspected Dean was too in love with every part of the Impala to change a thing about it. He had already endured a passionate rant about addressing the car as 'her' and definitely never 'he' and she wasn't outdated but had character. Dean headed for the trunk to grab their bags and Gabe took a moment to get an eyeful of the family home.

The modest two story house was ringed with a white picket fence, a deciduous tree already prepped for winter leaning nearly flush on one end of the building. Its blue paint looked gray in the hastily fading light but light shone out of every window. The grass was trimmed and he could see evidence of a well loved garden. Two cars already sat in the drive, one a Lexus hybrid and the other an immaculate classic Mustang. Looking between the small black car and the black behemoth at his side, a grin traveled onto his face.

"Your dad's, I take it," he said to Dean, who walked up and offered Gabe his backpack, Dean's duffle already tossed over his shoulder. The taller man's face lit up.

"Yeah, he's been working on it. Won't shut up about it; I'm starting to think he's trying to forget how superior my baby is." He jutted his chin toward the old green Chevelle snugged close to the curb on the far side of the driveway, "That's Bobby's girl—well, one of them."

"Ladies man?" Gabe wiggled his eyebrows, doing his best to disregard the butterflies swarming in his stomach. _Today will be fine, everything will be…good._

Dean guffawed. "Oh, Bobby? Definitely. He has like this fleet of cars and trucks."

"Right!" Gabe snapped his fingers, pointing at him. "He's the Bobby with the salvage yard. Your uncle?" Dean nodded.

"Yep. Been a part of the family so long we all forget he isn't actually related. And Sam's here." He gestured at the royal blue Lexus with a fond snort. "Stanford egghead, driving a hybrid. His girlfriend Jess is with him, I think. I told you about her."

Gabe nodded, following Dean around the parked vehicles toward the front door. "Wouldn't be surprised if she's moved up from girlfriend, though."

Dean stopped dead on the stone walkway and swiveled around, eyes wide. "You think Sam's popped the question?"

His stunned expression was comical and Gabe sniggered, chucking Dean under his hanging jaw. "They've been together for how many years now? It seems a logical idea."

"You and logic," Dean shook his head. "The world is ending."

Staring at him flatly, Gabe informed him, "I would give you the biggest noogie of your life if you weren't so damn tall."

"Oh and you haven't even met the Sasquatch yet," Dean chortled, rocking back onto his heels with a knowing, mischievous smirk.

"I haven't met your family yet and I already hate them," he told him, provoking a bark of laughter out of Dean. Dean leaned into him as they moved forward, a solid presence wrapped in comfortable leather. Gabe waffled a bit and then said, "Okay, I know we've talked about this megatons, but your family, they'll be cool with me?"

"Dude." Dean's chuckle was deep in his throat and his gaze turned serious. "They have no problem. Hell, Mom screeched at me like an excited banshee when I told her my boyfriend was coming for Thanksgiving and then asked what your favorite pies were while Dad wanted to know if you respected the Impala. I told him you're an artist and Baby is a piece of art; he seemed content enough. Bobby, well, Bobby's like Dad but less gruff and more beard." He wrapped an arm around Gabe's torso and tugged him into his side, looking right into his face with a slight grin. "The only thing they're expecting is that you help us men eat every single thing put before us and then assist with demolishing the pies. Sam can put away enough for an entire fraternity but Mom's learned to account for that."

Gabe blinked rapidly, feeling a catch in his throat. Rising onto his toes, he pressed a lingering kiss on Dean's cheek and grinned at him when Dean looked at him with baffled pleasure.

"Nothing," Gabe said softly. "I just… they sound great, Dean."

Dean's eyes crinkled at the corners and he dropped a kiss on his forehead. "They are," he murmured into Gabe's ear, resting his head on Gabe's. "And I hope you want to spend more time with them in the future."

Gabe pulled back to look directly at him. "In the future."

Dean shifted a little from foot to foot. "Yeah. Well, my family, they. Uh. We don't let go of people we care about. Ever." His cheeks were pink from more than the chilly air. "So. You're stuck with all of us?"

"With you?" Gabe added and observed how swiftly Dean could go from a delicate rosy hue to a flushed scarlet.

"Something like that. Yeah."

"Moron," he rolled his eyes. "'Course." He patted Dean on the cheek and then strolled up the path. Dean caught up after a few strides, shoulder bumping his with every step. Gabe's hand dropped and searched for Dean's, their fingers lacing together with instinctual ease.

Before Dean knocked on the door, he flashed a brilliant grin at Gabe. "Next year, we'll drag Cas along too. But maybe he'll have to stay in the trunk if you insist on your perverted distract-the-driver ways."

Gabe's eyebrows danced. "I doubt my ways will change much in a year. And respect your elders."

"Elder my ass," Dean snickered. "You're like three years older. I'll open doors for you when you can show me your senior pass." Broad smile still lighting up his face, Dean pounded on the front door and then threw it open. Shouts from within arose with a merry clamor and the mouthwatering scents of roast turkey, pies galore, and spiced stuffing greeted them.

Gripping Gabe's hand, Dean charged in the door with a raucous whoop, slinging his duffle in the vague direction of a sofa. People were flying out of nowhere—seriously, where were they coming from?—and piling hugs onto Dean and then a tall woman with golden hair was facing Gabe.

"You're Gabe?"

Slightly overwhelmed by the outright affection he was witnessing, Gabe nodded wordlessly.

The woman smiled and in an instant Gabe knew from whom Dean had inherited his killer dazzling smile. "I'm Mary," she said and the next thing he knew he was enveloped in a hug the likes of which he couldn't really compare to anything else. Closing his eyes, he drank in the moment, unaware of how his hands clung to her.

"Wait, you're Gabe?" a deep voice boomed and then Gabe was twirling, person to delighted person, warm embrace after another.

"Anything you're thankful for, Gabe?" Across the table, Mary smiled at him. Dean's hand on his thigh flexed for a second and when he glanced over, his ears were a fierce red. Looking from face to face, John and Mary, Sam and fiancée Jess, Bobby under his ever-present trucker cap, and Dean, Gabe took a thoughtful breath and said,

"I suppose I'm thankful for hugs and the people who like to give them." Placing his hand on Dean's, he squeezed briefly and then added, "And for families that have stayed family."

"Despite disagreements," John said, grinning at Sam.

"Despite leaving the family business," Sam retorted with a dimpled smirk.

"Despite hardheaded moose locking antlers," Mary sighed with gentle exasperation.

"Despite more'n one of you being idjits year-round," Bobby grumped, eyes twinkling from under the brim of his hat.

"Despite living on opposite sides of the country," Dean shook his head, rotating his hand to fit his fingers around Gabe's.

"Despite everything," Jess chimed in happily, raising her wine, "here's to family."

"Overall, family," Gabe agreed, a small smile curving his lips.

The glasses met over the center of the table with a clear ring and Gabe thought to himself as he looked around, Dean a pleasant weight against his side, _I could get used to this_.


End file.
